The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Some compensation today for the recent dearth of birds in my Woodhall Spa garden - a male lesser redpoll feeding on sunflower hearts.

Well John I don't want to make you jealous but after last winter when I had numbers such as 56, 59, 61, 51, 64 and 52 in the garden during Feb and Mar and answering friends question "are they are back yet" - well yes they are, albeit in smaller numbers so far. We noted the first one on Oct 26th. On Nov 11th two were present followed by single birds for the next two days. On Nov 14th we had three and two the next day. Two on the 17th, two 18th, one the 19th and three on the 20th. On the 22nd another single bird then two on the 23rd, one on the 24th. For the next three days we had two then on Saturday (28th) seven. Present on Sunday were six. On Monday we had four, it may have been more but it was too dark to see. Considering last year we had had only seen the odd one by this time perhaps this winter will be one to compare with the last. From New Years Day until the final birds on April 8th we had only 11 days when redpolls were not present. That was a total of 2650 birds although it was evident that they were resident with possibly 70 or 80 birds making up the roving flock

Thanks Chris for the enviable records. What are they feeding on in your garden? In the past here I have had siskins on sunflower hearts for weeks at a time but redpolls seldom show much interest. Siskins keep flying over but I think the living has been too easy so far this winter.

John

They love nyger seed John and are not averse to using some of the other feeders. Premium Seed Mix purchased from Ark Wildlife Foods. Often they go down on to the grass to feed off the nyger spilt from the feeders. They ruined the lawn that was there. It is a tiny garden outside the living room window. The feeders hang in a flowering cherry tree. There is a small plantation close by where i suspect all our visitors roost. Botany Bay Plantation off Birchwood Ave Lincoln. Yesterday I had another four and a few minutes ago we were visited by a dozen. All we now is for the waxwings to arrive before the blackbirds have scoffed all the berries on my neighbours cotoneaster

Thanks again Chris,

When I used to put out nyger seed and sunflower hearts the nyger was totally neglected and simply germinated in the feeders. Recent walks through the golf course here and at Kirkby Moor have produced no redpolls and apart from the one in the garden last week I found just three on Woodhall airfield on 13 Nov. and have not heard any flying over in recent weeks. You seem to have cornered the market!

John